Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

From stickygooeycreamychewy.

Okay, this wasn't fantastic, but it was good - perhaps 6.5 out of 10? I would tweak the recipe in future, to add some heat, and perhaps introduce some other Indian spices. The star was the roasted pumpkin seeds on top - it absolutely made the dish.

3 pounds butternut squash, seeded and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
5 large whole sage leaves
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream (I omitted this ingredient altogether)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crispy sage leaves or toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange squash in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with aluminum foil. Combine olive oil, garam masala, ginger, salt and pepper and sprinkle on pieces of squash. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft and tender.

While squash is roasting, set a large pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and sage, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion just turns golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and discard. Add the stock and roasted squash to the soup pot and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. Stir in the cream (if using) and reheat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with crispy sage leaves and/or toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Pasta with White Beans and Rapini

I believe this is from Chatelaine Magazine.

What a winner - absolutely amazing - but you gotta love your bitter greens, if you don't, this is not for you!

Simple, rustic, as if Jaime Oliver himself prepared it lovingly - enjoy heavily as you tuck into the creamy goodness.

1 large bunch rapini
4 cups whole wheat penne (I used scoobi-do!)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch hot pepper flakes
1 19 oz can romano beans, drained
Parm

Trim base of rapini stalks, roughly chop into 1" pieces, clean and drain. In large pot of boiling salted water, cover and cook rapini until tender, about 2 mins. With slotted spoon, transfer to colander to drain. Set aside.

In same pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm. * Reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid *, drain & return to pot.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat 1 tsp of the oil over medium heat; fry bread crumbs and one-quarter of the garlic, stirring, until golden, about 3 mins. Transfer to bowl; set aside.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry remaining garlic and hot pepper flakes, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in rapini and beans; heat through, about 3 minutes. Add to pasta and toss to coat, adding as much of the reserved cooking liquid as you like. Stir in some grated parm. Serve sprinkled with bread crumb mixture.

Creamy Garlic & Edamame Soup

From eatingwelllivingthin. I've only ever had steamed edamame with course salt in Vancouver (so yummy), and haven't had it since - so this recipe definitely had my curiosity piqued.

Gorgeous pistacio colour, smooth, but slightly textured - I didn't quite know what the heck I was eating, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
4 cups shelled edamame, divided
Two 14-ounce cans low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fat free half & half (who has ever heard of this? I used my usual soy milk)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened and golden. Add 3 1/2 cups Edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, red pepper flakes, sugar, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 25 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. In a blender or food processor, blend or process the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cream and and heat through, but do not let it boil. Garnish each serving with the reserved whole edamame. (I would omit this part next time, and simply sprinkle with toasted nuts, or even toasted soy nuts, for texture.

Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots

Nothing too spectac about this recipe, though the roasted grapes had an amazing flavour and texture, plus, roasted chicken - nuff said. Looks, smells, tastes great - simplicity at its finest.

1 ¼ lb assorted seedless grapes (such as green, red, and black), cut into small clusters
6 large shallots (about 10 ounces), peeled, halved through root end
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme plus 6 large sprigs
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 4-to 4 1/2-pound chicken, excess fat removed from cavity

Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently toss grape clusters, shallots, chopped thyme, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl to coat. Rub chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place thyme sprigs in cavity. Place chicken in large roasting pan; arrange grape mixture around chicken. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165°F and grapes are shriveled, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, arrange grapes and shallots around chicken. Transfer pan juices to small pitcher; spoon fat from surface of juices and discard. Serve chicken with pan juices alongside.

Spinach Pie Quesadilla

Adapted from biggirlssmallkitchen.com. Wicked little recipe - if you're in the mood for spanakopita (and who isn't), this lazy version will more than satisfy. Would be killer for brunch too. Make Popeye proud. 

I prepped the spinach the night before, just to save some time. 

2 tsp olive oil
2 shallots and 4 scallions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp each salt & freshly ground pepper
generous pinch each of thyme, oregano, and dash of cayenne
1 large container washed spinach, cooked (approx 1 cup cooked?)
2 whole grain tortillas 
2 eggs
2 tbsp yogurt
4 tbsp feta cheese, in all

In a small pan, heat the oil. Add the onion and scallions and cook until soft, 2 mins. Stir in the garlic, cooking a minute or two more. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the spices. Mix in the cooked spinach, cook for another minute, stirring until combined. Remove to a bowl and cool slightly. 

Combine eggs, yogurt, and half of the feta.

Wipe out the pan, then brush it with a bit more oil or cooking spray. Over medium heat, put the wraps in the pan and sprinkle half the remaining feta over one side of the wrap. Add half the cooked spinach mixture onto half, then pour the egg-spinach mixture over the same half of the wrap, fold the other half over; repeat process for 2nd wrap - and cook both in same pan on one side until the egg begins to firm up, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.  (Serves 2)

Really Good Clam Chowder

It’s been ages since I made clam chowder, at least this New England style one, I usually have the Manhattan style, with more seafood added. Either way, you’ve got to start with a killer broth (as all successful soups do), which I made by saving all the liquid strained from canned tuna and salmon, which I keep topping up in a large freezer bag, then using it whenever I need a hit. I also had the wherewithal to freeze some colossal prawn shells from some summer bbqs a while back, which were then simmered on the stove, with about 2 cups of chicken stock, and about 1 cup of water, for about an hour.  This may sound really icky, but trust, it makes for the BEST stock! (Clam nectar and chicken stock may be a good alternate here).  You’ll need about 5 cups of stock.

Chop a couple of carrots, 2 stalks of celery, a small onion, a red bell pepper – throw into your pot to sauté.  Chop up a couple of potatoes, and keep them in a bowl of cold water until ready to use. Chop a big handful of Italian parsley, set aside.

Add your stock to the sautéed veggies, bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes.  Strain the potatoes, add them to the soup, and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft.

Add 2 cans of baby clams, and the parsley. Stir in about a ½ cup of half and half – and serve up the mollusky goodness!

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Okay, I didn't go all Jessica Seinfeld on you by 'hiding' the cauliflower in a measly one cup mash; this was bold and flavourful, and uber tasty. I had some blue brie in the fridge a wee too long, which needed to be consumed. By liberally hacking off the rind, I was able to salvage a pretty nice chunk. It made a fantastic addition to what would have been pretty good, but not as good as, this mac & cheese!

5 cups quite finely chopped cauliflower
340 g pkg brown rice, veggie spirals
2 tbsp butter, same of whole grain flour
1 can skim evaporated milk
1 heaping cup of 2 yr old aged white cheddar, shredded
approx 3/4 cup of blue brie, with the rinds removed
pepper, and a dash of nutmeg

Bring lightly salted water to a boil, add the cauliflower, cook for 5 mins. Remove same, leaving the water to cook the pasta in. Cook the pasta. (I added the cooked cauliflower to the sauce about 4 mins prior to serving).

In the meantime, in another pot, make a roux from your butter and flour, add the milk, whisk constantly until hot and bubbly, turn heat down slightly, add the cheddar, whisk until smooth, add the blue brie and continue whisking. Adjust your seasonings. Add your cooked pasta to the sauce, and voila!

Post-Remembrance Day Cocoa

It was a pleasant, though slightly chilly day here today. After the remembrance day observance, we practically galloped home to warm up - to this:

2 cups soy milk
a splash of Baileys
1 heaping Tbsp hot chocolate mix
1 tsp instant coffee

Heat above until warm enough to drink.  Add a heaping tsp of cocoa - whisk until combined - pour into mug, sip and enjoy!

Chicken Biryani

Well wasn't this ambitious? I had a huge craving for Indian food yesterday, so sought out some recipes - and this one from allrecipes.com caught my eye. Was it prep heavy? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. It was a dull, grey day - perfect for comfort food. Plus, Scottie had just purchased some Indian incense, so the mood was right to tuck in to some spicy, fragrant goodness (along with some sparkling chardonnay, which surprisingly, was a perfect match!). I ended up cooking the chicken portion separately from the rice, as I used brown basmati, which takes 45 mins to cook (as opposed to 20 mins for white rice) - then I combined the two once they were both cooked - and it was amazing.

4 Tbsp vegetable oil (2 for the chicken portion, 2 for the rice)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
Spinach (this was my addition in lieu of potatoes, I cooked it beforehand)
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
3 boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into bite sized pieces

2 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pinch powdered saffron (I forgot to add this!)
5 pods cardamom (which I removed after cooking, though one is still hiding!)
3 whole cloves (didn't have any, but used a pinch of ground)
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups brown basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
dash salt

In a large skillet, oil fry onion, garlic and ginger in 2 tbsp grapeseed oil until onion is soft. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 mins. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 mins. 

When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over lowish heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.  Stir in cooked spinach, if using. 

In the meantime, in a separate pot, heat vegetable oil and fry the onions until they are soft. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ground ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, simmer for 45 mins.

Combine all - spoon biryani into bowls.

NOTES:  I added some chopped cilantro at the end, and for the leftovers, combined a dollop of yogurt with more chopped mint - as I couldn't detect the mint at all. Also, as an afterthought, I toasted some cashews and tossed them in as well, the nutty crunch made a nice addition. Namaste!

Chicken Quinoa Chili

I've been very reluctant to try new chili recipes, as I'm quite pleased with my own thank you very much! Cocoa powder? Cinnamon? Blasphemy! But I swallowed my pride, as it can't hurt to expand my culinary horizons, particularly when wading into previously unchartered territory with ingredients like quinoa. I substituted Yves veggie chicken for the real thing, as it was meat overload last wkd. I've also reduced the cinnamon to 1/4 tsp from 1/2 tsp, as I want to keep it more on the hot-spicy side of things, and thus added cayenne and upped the chili powder and cumin as well; in addition, I added s & p, and some celery - which I think is essential in chili, and threw in a small can of V8 juice in lieu of the chicken stock. Delicious & hearty - I can't wait for leftovers tonight!

1/3 cup quinoa
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
a couple celery sticks, chopped
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
dash cayenne
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
One 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
One small can V8 juice
One 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
One 15 ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg Yves veggie chicken
Chopped cilantro and green onions  

In a small saucepan bring 2/3 cup water to boil; add quinoa, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and all water is absorbed. Set aside.

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and celery with sugar for a bit. Stir in zucchini, peppers and celery and cook for a few mins more. 

Stir in spices, canned tomatoes, V8 juice, and beans; simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the cooked quinoa and Yves veggie chicken - simmer for an additional 5 minutes.  Serve, topped with chopped cilantro and green onions.

Curried Lentils

I've always loved my mom's lentil soup - one of the best soups ever in her amazing repertoire! I usually do 'cheat' curry, by using curry paste, and I did indeed add just a tbsp or so in this to further enhance the broth. Wow. This was freaking fantastic, with the leftovers for lunch today, even more so. Heavy rotation, here I come. (Original recipe from eatingwelllivingthin). 

1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery, 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 1/2 cups small green (Eston) lentils
8 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp madras curry paste
A whack of chopped cilantro to top

In a large stockpot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, yellow pepper, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes or until softened. Add curry powder, cayenne, cumin, salt, black pepper, ginger, and paste (if using). Cook for 2 minutes or until spices are very fragrant.

Stir in lentils and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-45 mins or until lentils are tender. Top with chopped cilantro. Even a dollop of yogurt would be nice here.

Black Bean Brownies - REVISED

No, I'm serious.

Found this recipe on food52.com and thought I'd give it a whirl. (Had to tweak it somewhat, as some ingredients were missing from the list, yet were added in the instructions, but whatev). A wonderful brownie, moist and tasty, and no 'black bean' taste - not that there's anything wrong with that.

And fibre in brownies? You are my new BFF.

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp instant coffee
¼ cup cocoa powder 
½ tsp baking powder 
3 eggs
1 Tbsp ground flax seed, plus a splash of water
Dash of salt

250 g pkg dark chocolate chips 
4 Tbsp canola oil

splash of pure vanilla extract
1 cup crushed walnuts (I used pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray an 8 x 8 pan w/ Pam. 

Mix the ground flax seeds with a splash of water, set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or on double boiler.

Combine all ingredients (except nuts) into your good processor - blend until smooth.  

Place into baking dish - top w/ crushed nuts and bake for 30-35 mins.

Fussy.Finished.

Spicy Pork and Chilli-Pepper Goulash

Ever so slightly adapted from Jaime Oliver recipe. Huge thanks to my sis for sending this along - it really was spectac - perfect Sunday evening fare. Typical Jaime Oliver bold flavours, and the meat was so perfectly tender - my hubbie thought it was one of the BEST dishes I've ever prepared! (I've not converted the UK measurements here because I'm too lazy, but you can sorta guess as you go along, its a very forgiving recipe).

2kg pork shoulder – its quite marbled with fat!
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
1 generously heaped Tbsp each of smoked and regularl paprika
2 tsp ground caraway seeds
1 tsp each of dried marjoram & oregano
5 peppers (use a mixture of colours)
1 x 280g jar of grilled peppers, drained, peeled and chopped
1 x 400g tin of good-quality plum tomatoes
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
400g basmati or long-grain rice, washed
1 x 142ml pot of soured cream
zest of 1 lemon
a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Get yourself a deep, ovenproof stew pot with a lid and heat it on the hob. Score the fat on the pork in a criss-cross pattern all the way through to the meat, then season generously with salt and pepper. Pour a good glug of olive oil into the pot and then add the pork, fat side down. Cook for about 15 minutes on a medium heat, to render out the fat, then remove the pork from the pot and put it to one side.

Add the onions, chilli, paprika, caraway seeds, marjoram or oregano and a good pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Turn the heat down and gently cook the onions for 10 minutes, then add the sliced peppers, the grilled peppers and the tomatoes. Put the pork back into the pot, give everything a little shake, then pour in about ¼ cup water and the vinegar – this will give it a nice little twang. Bring to the boil, put the lid on top, then place in the preheated oven for approx 3 hours.

You’ll know when the meat is cooked as it will be tender and sticky, and it will break up easily when pulled apart with two forks. If it’s not quite there yet, put the pot back into the oven and just be patient for a little longer!

When the meat is nearly ready, cook your rice (I served it w/ pasta!).

Stir the sour cream, lemon zest and most of the parsley together in a little bowl. When the meat is done, take the pot out of the oven and taste the goulash. You’re after a balance of sweetness from the peppers and spiciness from the caraway seeds. Tear or break the meat up and serve the goulash in a big dish or bowl, with a bowl of your steaming rice and your flavoured soured cream. Sprinkle with the rest of the chopped parsley and tuck in!

Chicken and Veggie Stirfry

After perusing her pork and eggplant masterpiece, my sis inspired me to make a stirfry, which I hadn't made in ages - too long in fact. I used to make them often in Vancouver, where the produce was fresh and readily available. Here, not so much - once a week into Penticton is the best we can muster, but at least Save-On has the goods!

 

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts - cut into strips

a bunch of finely chopped ginger and garlic

a combo of broccolini, gailan, carrots, snap peas, bell peppers, and bean sprouts

sauce - 1/2 cup chicken broth, a small glug each of soy sauce, 'Memories of Korea' bbq sauce, oyster sauce, Madeira, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, a small blob of Asian hot sauce.

 

Heat some oil in highish heat, brown your chicken in 2 batches, to ensure its cooked evenly, set aside on plate. I then deglazed the pan with a bit of chicken stock, then added the ginger and garlic, stir like crazy; add your veggies - continue to stir like a demon. Turn heat down a bit, cover, and cook (steam) for 30 seconds. Add your stirred sauce from above. Stir (you get the point). Add your chicken, keep stirring until the sauce is hot, thick and bubbly. Serve on top of steamed brown rice. The colours were gorgeous, and the dish is quite simple (once you've prepped everything), and satisfying - and I loved the sauce - I'll make a note of it for future reference!

Mutsu Applesauce

Originally grown in Japan, this crunchy, pale green, tart (but not too tart), beauty is my favorite - I only know of one local grower, and I've been buying them from her for 3 years now - a fall tradition! I was devastated to discover a few pears had been thrown into the box, thus ripening them far too quickly, and I had an apple crisis on my hands. I've chopped and frozen and bunch for crisps and smoothies, and just made this wicked batch of applesauce, which will pair (pear - my nemesis!) nicely with our gingery breakfast muffins.

9 peeled, roughly chopped mutsu apples
1 1/4 cups water
1 tbsp sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
a big nub of finely chopped ginger (about 2 1/2 tbsp?)

Combine all in large pot on stove, bring to boil, then cover, simmer - stirring regularly, for about 10 mins or until apples are starting to break down. I didn't want them too mushy, so removed from stove, cooled for a bit - then blended in batches, in the blender. Poke the cinnamon sticks in with your blended applesauce. So freaking smooth, tasty and laden with ginger!

Mommy Dearest's French Onion Soup

I'm pretty sure this is her recipe! Anyhow, this was the best batch yet - must have been the combination of ingredients for the broth, but whatever it was, I was feeling euphoric upon consumption - better than 'oh, the risotto'!

4 large onions 
1/3 cup olive oil
6 cups beef stock
good glug of sherry (I used Madeira)
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic
dash cayenne
3/4 tsp instant coffee (mom's secret ingredient)
dash dry mustard (I never have any, so used a blob of dijon) 
Parmesan cheese
good bread
Swiss cheese (I used Gruyere)

Heat olive oil on med heat - add onions - saute, stirring often until transparent. Add butter, along with minced garlic, and continue cooking until onion is limp. 

In the meantime, heat your stock in a separate pot. Add sugar, cayenne, booze, coffee, mustard, s & p if desired. You'll know what to tweak to your particular taste.

Ladle soup into bowls. Another quick timesaver, is to heat your bread slices in the oven, add slices of cheese on top, heat, then broil - and cut bread into chunks then serve directly onto soup (in lieu of serving in onion soup bowls (which are notoriously small), then adding whole slices and heating in the oven, then struggling with the cheesy bits!); then top with a dusting of Parmesan. This soup will make you weep with joy - trust.

 

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

A true story about bran: The old timers here in Summerland are obvsly taking care of themselves in the ole fibre dept., as there is always a TON of bran, well stocked, at Nesters. Last year, when I wanted to purchase some bran (for muffins, natch) and, um, they didn't have any on the shelf - I was shocked Mr. Williams! It turned out the supplier had majorly screwed up, so I, along with all the other 'braniacs', had to wait a few days for the stock to replenish. This is the shock and awe that is Summerland.

Anyhow, this is different from my usual recipe (which I thought I had misplaced, but later found, but by then it was too late) - this is so much tastier! I don't enjoy baking, its messy and precise - but if I only have to whip this together every few weeks, its totally worth it. These are reminiscent of gingerbread - rich, dense, moist, and although there was no ginger in the original recipe, I've remedied that this, my second time around, and you'd never know there was so much bran involved. I also added a dash of cloves and cinnamon for extra spice. Love them - so easy! (This is the recipe, halved)

2 1/2 c. sifted flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. bran
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. grapeseed oil
1 c. molasses
2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
ground cloves and cinnamon to taste

Combine wet ingredients, stir well.  In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, then add to above, again, stirring well. Store in covered container in refrigerator (fills an ice cream bucket about half way). Keeps for at least 2 months and improves in flavor. Spoon into lined muffin pans. Bake at 400 for 20 mins.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

A classic from The Silver Palate. This one doesn't disappoint - its super easy, big on flavour, and huge compliments from your guests will follow. I omitted the olives (and admitedly, I didn't miss them here) and the dusting of Parmesan (again, no loss of flavour detected - but perhaps the massive serving of rich French cheeses earlier negated the need for more here!). A guaranteed crowd pleaser, that you can make ahead, I highly recommend a try.

For bechamel sauce:

2 tbsp sweet butter
3 tbsp flour
1 cups milk
salt, pepper and ground nutmeg

(this will yield 1 cup heavy béchamel, you will need 1/3 cup for this recipe)

For filling:

2 Italian sausages (about 1/2 pound) (I used HOT)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 cup finely minced yellow onion
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/3 cup bechamel sauce
salt and pepper
12 large mushrooms

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F/230 C.

For bechamel:

Mix butter in heavy saucepan, sprinkle in the flour and cook gently, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Don't let the mixture brown.

Meanwhile boil milk and remove from heat adding immediately to the flour and butter mixture. As mixture bubbles, beat with a whisk. When bubbling stops, return pan to medium heat and bring bechamel to boil, stir constantly for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg 

For filling:

I add some water to a pan, add sausages, bring to boil, reduce and cook for 15 mins, cool slightly. Remove sausage from casings and crumble into hot skillet, along with fennel, onion and garlic - saute until onion is tender. Stir in parsley and bechamel sauce. Season as necessary. 

Pull stems off mushrooms. Generously fill each one with filling. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling and well browned. 

Zucchini, White Bean & Leek Soup

Adapted from a Bitchin' Camero recipe.  Blended soups are like baby food - mushy and comforting, but not always satisfying taste wise. This one's pretty good - all the flavours melded together very well, it was properly seasoned, healthy, and hearty - great for cool autumn evenings. 

2 tbsp. olive oil
3 large leeks, thoroughly rinsed and thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
2 smallish organic zucchini, diced
7 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 15 oz. cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. sherry vinegar
1 tsp. smoked paprika
s & pepper to taste
homemade croutons, homemade pesto, Parmesan cheese

Set a large pot over medium heat, once it’s hot, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks & saute for about 5 mins, or until soft. Add the zucchini, garlic & stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 6 mins, or until the zucchini is tender, but not mushy. Add the beans, then transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree. Return the soup to the pot and add the vinegar and smoked paprika. Mix well and add s & p to taste.  Ladle into bowls and top with croutons, a dollop of pesto and a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.  

Chicken, Black Bean, and Brown Rice Burritos

This is another 'recipe' I made up - I just love anything with any of the above, throw mexican flavours into the mix - and I love it even more!

These are very reminiscent of the Steamworks burritos in Vancouver (what, do I sense some melancholy for the west coast today?). Also, lunches in my home are as important as dinner - so I'm always thinking about things to freeze, remove in the morning, and heat for lunch. These freeze really well, and heat up nicely in the microwave - really satisfying.

I took some chicken tenders, and gave them a mexican rub with some cumin, ancho chilli powder, and cayenne. Chopped some red peppers and onions, and threw all into a pan to cook. Added a big blob of salsa, a can of drained black beans, and some leftover brown rice. Simmer.

Add a dollop of slightly cooled mixture onto your tortilla, add a bit of shredded cheese, roll - lather, rinse, repeat. Ole!

Kimchee Beef

I 'created' this 'recipe' back in Vancouver, when we could buy kimchee at the corner store on Davie & Thurlow - oh those were the days! Winters in Vancouver are notorious - while they don't get the snow of the prairies (or here!), the rain is incessant, and the wind blowing off the ocean was just cruel. This recipe was the result.

Now we've resorted to paying an exorbitant price for our kimchee, from a Korean lady at a Japanese restaurant in Penticton! Note to self - next time we're in Kelowna (which is rare), look for Asian market.

This is all done in the slow cooker - add a bunch of stewing beef (2 packages?), the kimchee (about 3 cups worth?), a bunch of shredded cabbage, and a large can of chopped tomatoes - stir, cover and simmer for ages. I know, it reeks of laziness and goes against the rules of cooking (what, she didn't brown the meat?) - but seriously, that's how simple it is - and the end result is outstanding - serve over brown rice, and enjoy! (If you don't have a slow cooker, I'm sure you can attain similar results in a dutch oven)

Spaghetti with Braised Kale

From Epicurious.com.

I'm a huge kale fan - its my fave go to green - it has a great texture, that doesn't break down in the cooking process; and it retains its gorgeous colour. This recipe was quick and easy, perfect for weekdays, and it used two bunches of kale - upping the vitamin quotient considerably.

I should be a shareholder in 'Tinkyada' pasta, as I consume enough to keep them in business. They make incredible brown rice pastas, with a dizzying array of varieties - I found some Spinach Spaghetti which I hadn't known existed, so I thought green on green might be dramatic in our wonderful white pasta bowls (and it was - thanks J for the gift that keeps on giving!).

2 bunches kale large center ribs and stems removed, torn
3 tbsp olive oil, divided 
1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used a white one)
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (oops, I finely chopped mine, habit)
340 g (1 package) of spaghetti 
2 tsp fresh lemon juice 

Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with water.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion & cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 mins. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 mins. Add kale and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 mins. Cover pot & reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by spoonfuls if dry, about 20 mins. (I used a tiny bit of chicken stock).

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tbsp reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid if needed. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Acorn Squash Hash

Eww, doesn't sound very appealing - but it was tasty! Had some leftover baked acorn squash from the other night, so had a big 'fry up' on Saturday morning, before doing our usual myriad of chores.

Rummage around the fridge - I had some plump brown mushrooms, peppers, green onions and eggs - so those along with the aforementioned squash (which is really a potato at this point), were my ingredients.

Saute the mushrooms with the peppers in a bit of olive oil, add the chopped acorn squash, let it brown, toss, add the eggs and green onions, season with s & p, serve with Heinz chilli sauce - good to go!

Chickpea Soup

Adapted from Laura Calder

I love hummus, and really anything I've ever had with chickpeas - so this seemed like a logical dinner to counteract the buttery goodness of last night's meal. I'd never soaked chickpeas before, but I think its necessary here - you want to soak, then cook them, to get the desired texture. And its smooth baby, real smooth and super tasty! 

1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 cups of dried chickpeas
5 cups or so of chicken stock, plus 1 cup water 
2 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp paprika, plus more for sprinkling
extra virgin olive oil
s & p

Peel and chop the onions and garlic (since it is going to be puréed, it can be a very rough chop).

In a large stockpot (I used my slow cooker), combine the onions, garlic, chickpeas, stock, bay leaf, and enough water to cover. 

Bring to a boil, then lower, and simmer. Continue to simmer until the chickpeas are cooked. Ensure they are at the cooked properly, or the soup will not be as silky as desired. (Probably 2 hrs, my slow cooker took about 4 hrs).

Remove the bay leaves.   Let the soup cool slightly.  Using an immersion blender, or regular blender (which I used), purée the soup. More water or stock may need to be added (mine was fine), to get it silky smooth. If using a blender, transfer the soup to a large bowl, so that the seasonings can be adjusted.

Stir in the paprika, a few good glugs of olive oil, and adjust the seasoning.

Serve with additional paprika and extra virgin olive oil if you like. Pita crisps would be nice here, but I don't have any - may need to accompany with Wasa crackers.

Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

I’ve been dreaming of making this dish ever since my sage over performed in the garden – I mean, what else do you do with sage? I would actually up the sage content next time, I was timid because sage can be so overwhelming; but in this instance, next time I would double it. Yes, double it! And the butter, ahh the butter. Its not like anyone eats this much butter very often, but when you do, its good times. The result was heavenly nutty buttery goodness.

My lovely neighbour gave me an acorn squash from her garden to try, saying it was the best thing ever. Never having tried it before, I thought roasted acorn squash would make the perfect accompaniment to the above. Well lets just say, acorn squash, while super delicious, is more like the best baked potato you’ve never had, not at all what I expected (hello spaghetti squash, zucchini); and after our dinner, I felt as though I’d OD’d on starch. Note to self, best to serve roasted acorn squash with a roast.

Butternut squash filled agnolotti, 600 grams (what, you thought I made it?)

5 tbsp butter
15-18 small sage leaves
¼ cup chicken broth
Bit of parmesan

Cook pasta – at the same time you’re making the sauce.

Melt butter over medium heat until milk solids have browned – about 7 mins. Add sage – cook until sorta crispy.  Reduce heat, add broth and reduce for about 3 mins.  Season w/ s & p.  Adding some of the pasta water is an option, I didn’t.  Combine all – enjoy, go for nap.

Made 4 pretty generous sized servings – reheated nicely the next day for lunch.

Spicy Turkey Sloppy Joes

From Bon Appetit - serves 2, with leftovers the next day.  

This was so amazing, words cannot describe. Who knew something with 'sloppy' in the title could be so wicked. Simple to prepare, great flavours, ultimate comfort food. I felt like I was in a groovy diner in the southwestern US! A must-try; will absolutely be on heavy rotation here.

3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ lbs ground turkey
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 ¼ cups dark ale
3/4 cup ketchup (I used Heinz chilli sauce)
1 14-ounce can diced green chilies
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¾ finely chopped green onions

4 whole wheat buns (ours were so yummy!)
A bunch of shredded green cabbage

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey, green pepper and garlic and cook until turkey is cooked through, breaking up the meat. Add chili powder, ale, ketchup, chiles and worcestershire sauce, stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in green onions, and season to taste.

Serve piled high on toasted buns, topped with a big handful of shredded cabbage.

Peach Cobbler

It seems like we've been consuming peaches for like, ever. A bumper crop this year, and we've taken full advantage. Just this morning it would appear our frozen peach stash is now depleted - NOOOO!

Well before that catastrophe occurred, I had a bunch in the fridge and made this super easy peach cobbler on Saturday morning, and it was delicious!

1/2 c. brown sugar (plus added a splash of agave syrup)
4 tsp. cornstarch
8 sliced fresh peaches
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp. sugar
2 c. Bisquick
1 tsp. lemon rind

Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Add peaches and toss to coat. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and thick. Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes longer. Pour into baking dish.

Combine Bisquick, sugar, lemon rind. Add milk. Stir with fork until moistened. Drop by big blobs onto peaches. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 mins.

'Veg Out' Lasagna

Had an abundance of leftover veggie bounty from the market (the peppers, eggplant, zucchini and squash) (plus a bunch of brown mushrooms, onions and Russian red garlic), so whipped up an incredible pasta sauce, utilizing a bunch of roasted tomatoes from the garden as well, and made a HUGE veggie lasagna for tonight. (Have a newish dish from Winners I love way too much). Wow, smells great in the kitchen! 

Instructions straight from the box of whole grain oven-ready lasagna noodles, so need for me to repeat them here!

Halibut Brochettes Provençale

The Penticton market is spectacular - the colours last week were so intense, my eyes were hurting. Bought a stunning array of coloured mini-peppers, mini squash, onions, eggplant, and zucchini.

I had all the herbs on hand in the garden, sans the marjoram. Not a herb I generally use with reckless abondon in any event.

I cooked the fish in 2 whole fillets, rather than skewing them. The skewers themselves were little works of art!

1 ½ tbsp minced fresh basil
2 tsp minced fresh marjoram
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp minced fresh sage
½ tsp chopped fennel seeds

(finely chop and combine the above)

A bunch of cherry tomatoes, mini bell peppers, onion (wedges), zucchini and eggplant (chunks)
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided (plus I used the zest) 
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 ½ lbs halibut
1/3 cup dry white wine
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

After assembling your veggies to your liking on soaked bamboo skewers, combine about 1.5 tbsp of the herb mixture plus 1.5 tbsp oil, schmush onto veggies. Cover and refrigerate.

Place fish in medium bowl; sprinkle 2 tbsp herb mixture & 2.5 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, tossing occasionally. 

Simmer wine, remaining oil, and remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice in small saucepan until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining herb mixture. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill veggie skewers until slightly charred and tender, turning occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill fish skewers until fish is cooked through, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.

Plate, then drizzle sauce over all.

So fresh, light and delicious - spa food! 

Garlic and Lemon Pasta with Arugula

Wow. I've been a very negligent blogger. No excuses - so here's a few recipes I've tried lately, with wonderful results. 

Oh yeah, I added a bunch of blanched, sliced asparagus to this as well for more colour, and vitamin goodness.

I've always got loads of arugula in the garden, my flat leaf parsley was amazing this year, the local garlic is stunning, and lemons are a summer staple, and heck, I loves me my pasta - so without further adieu:

1 pound spaghetti, dry
1/2 cup olive oil  
2 tbsp butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup baby arugula
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, broth, basil, salt and pepper and raise heat to medium-high. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Drain pasta, return it to its cooking pot and immediately pour the heated sauce over it, along with the arugula and parsley. Use tongs to gently toss the pasta and sauce together. Transfer pasta to heated serving bowl. Top with grated Parmigiano-reggiano, a light sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Brown Rice Salad with Asparagus in a Lemony Tahini Dressing

From this website: http://www.101cookbooks.com/whole_grain_recipes/. Looks to be some good stuff there for future consideration.

So delicious, great lemony finish. I couldn’t help but keep licking the spoon when I transported it into a container! Dinner will be a special treat tonight …

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
3 cups pre-cooked brown rice (I used Lundberg whole grain brown, which has a gorgeous auburn colour)
1 cup almond slivers, toasted (I had a bunch of whole roasted ones, which I halved)
fine grain sea salt

Tahini Dressing:
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
zest and juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.

Add roughly 3 tbsp olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan, then add the chickpeas and sprinkling of salt. Let the beans saute there for a couple minutes, tossing often. Add the garlic + onions. Stir for a minute. Stir in the asparagus with another pinch or two of salt, cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam - just until the asparagus brightens and softens up just a bit. Uncover and stir in the rice and almond slivers.   Serves 4-6. 

Mediterranean Barley Salad

This salad is not for the faint of heart – its packing some heavy flavours - but in a good way! I find pasta salads dry up and lose their flavour after a day or two, not so with this one. Which is why I highly recommend for lunches through the week. I served it with grilled colossal prawns, and grilled asparagus – we consumed all the prawns, but the leftover asparagus was chopped and added to the remaining salad for leftovers the next day. Then the 3rd day, I cooked up some hot Italian sausages, and added them to the leftovers - wicked good - love barley!

2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
Pinch plus ½ tsp sea salt, divided 
3 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus 1 tsbp apple juice 
2 minced shallots 
¼ cup olive oil 
5 cups water 
2 cups pearl barley 
2 bay leaves 
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsps dried and crumbled 
1/3 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives 
1/3 cup drained capers 
½ cup toasted pine nuts (I used half pecans, half pine nuts) 
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
Plus I added a bunch of chopped Italian parsley

Bring the water to a boil, add the barley with the remaining salt and bay leaves. Simmer until the barley is tender - approx. 45 minutes . Remove from heat & cool.

Place cooled barley in a large bowl, and stir in the dressing and remaining ingredients. Chill for 2 hrs. I then brought to room temp to serve.

So Freaking Easy Blueberry Bran Muffins

No fuss, no fat, no kidding!

(1)  Soak 1½ c wheat bran with 1 c nonfat milk (I use soy) for 10 mins.
(2)  Blend: 1 ripe banana, 1 egg, ½ c brown sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract
(3)  Add: 1 c whole wheat flour, 1 tsp each baking soda and baking powder,  ½ tsp salt. Add the bran-milk mixture above to comine.
(4)  Stir in 1 cup blueberries.

375 degrees – 20 mins, makes 12

Tortellini Metropolitan

As I have an abundance of tarragon and chives, I thought of this old recipe from Graham Kerr, thankfully recalled by J!

I altered it a bit, as didn't require a thickening agent. Tastes like perogies - ochen vkusno!

Saute 3 chopped shallots in a bit of oil/butter, then add:
2 cups yogurt
1/3 cup white wine
3 tbsp or so parmesan
3 tbsp or so low fat cream cheese

Cook pasta (I used 600 g wholewheat 4 cheese tortellini). Last 2 mins, add a bunch of chopped asperagus to blanch, drain

Combine sauce with cooked tortellini and stir in a whack of chopped tarragon and chives. 

Ceasar/Nicoise

Had some leftover ceasar dressing from the other night, so blanched some green beans, asparagus, roasted some potatoes, hard boiled a couple of eggs. Once cooled, tossed the first 3 ingredients with the dressing, added a handful of moroccan olives, served topped with quartered eggs. Ahhh, so easy!

Ceasar Salad with Grilled Colossal Prawns

I've been using this recipe for Ceasar salad since, well the time of Ceasar himself, as I have the ingredients jotted down on papyrus.  J gave me this recipe when she resided in Victoria, and its been a fave ever since!  I do however, use anchovy paste, which is blasphemous in some circles, but I prefer its versatility and storage properties.  I also don't add an egg - I used to, but stopped for reasons unknown.  

3-4 cloves garlic, minced
A blob of anchovy paste, to taste
1 heaping tsp. each chopped capers and Dijon mustard
3-4 drops each Worcestershire and tobacco
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus I add the rind)
2 tbsp or so white wine vinegar
4 tbsp Olive oil
Lots of ground black pepper and grated Regiano parmesan

For the prawns I simply tossed a bunch of thawed PC colossal prawns with a bit of lemon juice and rind, salt, pepper, a bit of olive oil, and some Cajun seasoning and let marinate for a bit.  Grill - and place on top of salad.   

Avocado and Black Bean Salad

I think everyone's made a variation on this, though admitedly, I don't generally add avocado - I guess I thought it would get mushy and brown - but it doesn't!  It kept well in the fridge, for about 4 days, and was best served at room temp.  Yummy!

2 cans black beans, drained, rinsed
chopped: 1 red onion, 2 large tomatoes, 1 red pepper
about 1 ½ cups frozen corn
a bunch of chopped cilantro
2 chopped avocados
Some arugula leaves

Dressing:  
1 clove garlic, minced
2 chopped jalapenos
3 tbsp fresh lime juice + lime rind
¼ cup olive oil, plus s & p to taste

Combine all, enjoy!

Larb

The official dish of Laos!  Its a spicy meat salad basically, along the lines of Thai lettuce wraps. While I used beef for mine, I would try ground chicken or turkey next time. Really tasty, satisfying, refreshing!

1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely sliced
2 fresh green chilies, finely chopped
500g lean ground beef
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime rind 
6 teaspoons chili sauce
1/3 cup chopped cilantro 
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup crisp fried garlic
Lettuce leaves for serving.

Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the lemon grass, chili and meat over high heat for 6 minutes, until the meat is cooked, breaking up any lumps.

Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool.

Add the lime juice, rind and chili sauce to the mince mixture.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving plate.

Stir most of the coriander, mint, onion, peanuts and fried garlic through the minced, spoon over the lettuce and sprinkle the rest of the coriander, mint, onion, peanuts and garlic over the top. 

Prawn and Mango Salad with Lime Dressing

Oh, I'm always up for a new salad recipe! Was easy to prepare, visually gorgeous, and had great flavours - would be a wonderful addition to a picnic or p0tluck dinner (like we're ever invited to any!)

1 lb cooked prawns (I quickly steamed my raw ones)
1 1/2 chopped mangoes (called for 1 papaya - the smelly gym sock fruit - no thanks!)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped mint (I added more!)

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil (I used a bit less)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (juice of 1 lime, could have used a smidge more)
2 tsp finely grated ginger (I used more, and finely chopped rather than grate)
1 tsp caster sugar (don't have, used a smidgen of white sugar)
Plus I added the zest of one lime, plus extra from the freezer

Combine all, refrigerate for up to 3 hrs prior to serving (I couldn't wait - it was about an hour in the fridge - and we ate it all!)

My Daily Beverage

Brew large pot of strong decaf tea - I generally use a flavoured one, such a lemon ginger, or cranberry, or combo of whatever I have. Then I add one package of crystal light - always 'classic tea' or 'green tea' flavour.  Cool in fridge.  Very tasty, and more appealing than water when I'm working!

Chilly weather - I drink it as is, without cooling. 

Roast Beast Sannies

Was craving same, so seared off a heavily seasoned medium sized top round roast, deglazed the pan with red wine and dijon mustard, placed all in slow cooker - come back 5 hrs later - and tada!  Wrap and cool in fridge overnight.

We have loads of peppery lettuce that reseeded from last year (wow - didn't know lettuce did that!), so made 6 large multigrain bunwiches, slathered with equal amounts of horseradish, grainy dijon and mayo (4 into the freezer), the remaining two loaded up with lettuce.  OMG yum!

Lentil Salad

I had to use ‘common’ green lentils for this recipe, much to my chagrin, as it calls for Puy lentils, which sadly, I cannot find. Oh well, will try to cope. Was quite tasty, something different. Had with some Thai sausages from Nester’s for leftovers, nice combo! Oh, I also doubled the recipe below.

I small onion
2 whole cloves
1 ½ cups puy lentils
1 large strip lemon zest (I used way more)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped mint (I used more)
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Stud the onion w/ the cloves, and place in a saucepan with the lentils, zest, garlic, bay leaf, 1 tsp of the cumin, and 3 ½ cups water. Bring to boil, then simmer gently over med heat for 25-30 mins, or until lentils are tender. Drain off any excess liquid – discard the onion, zest and bay leaf. Reserve the garlic, and finely chop.

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, lemon juice, garlic and remaining cumin. Stir the dressing through the lentils, along with the mint and green onion. Season well, the leave for 30 mins for allow flavours to develop. Serve at room temperature.

Tabbouleh Salad

You know its summer in the Okanagan when I break out the tabbouleh! Our fave go-to salad. Great for picnics, and quick lunches. I add feta for extra protein, but it is not required. Makes, like, a LOT of salad.

3/4 cup fine bulgur
1 1/2 cup boiling water
4 bunches finely chopped fresh parsley (I do this in the food processor)
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
One bunch green onions, chopped
Combo of chopped tomatoes, cucumber & carrots (these are all optional, but I love veggies in this salad)
Some chopped feta cheese
Some olive oil
Juice and zest from 2 limes
s & p to taste

Stir together bulgur & boiling water, cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand 20 mins. Drain in a sieve, pressing on bulgur to remove any excess liquid.

Combine bulgur and all remaining ingredients. Keeps really well in the fridge, tastes better each day. Top up with more lime juice and olive oil throughout the week.

Falafel Wraps

I totally forgot about these! It was glorious last weekend (seems like forever ago), so I made some humous and some tsatsiki, and the next day, threw together some wraps, which we brought to Thornhaven winery, and ate same, and drank some yummy wine on their sun-drenched deck!

Box falafel mix. Its actually quite good - have used on several occasions. Use half the box, form patties, cook in a little oil, cool slightly.
Humous, tsatsiki
Chopped cucumber, tomatoes, shallots
Multigrain wraps

Spread some humous on wrap, place some falafel patties on top, add chopped veggies, top with tsatsiki – roll. They are quite messy – fork & knife required! 

What ISN’T in this soup, Beef Soup

Another slow cooker mash up. Hey – its still cold and yucky here – when you can’t get a hug from mom, you need your soup.

1 lb of stewing beef
4 cups water, and some liquid beef bovril
A can of chopped tomatoes
A small can of V-8 juice
A small hunk of tomato paste
Chopped onion, celery, carrots, peppers
½ cup pearl barley
A bunch of sliced brown mushrooms
A bag of chopped spinach
Some leftover cooked brown rice
Seasoning, incl fresh rosemary

This is supper tonight - yay!

Chicken and Veggie Thai Curry

Okay, its been embarrassingly long since I posted.  

This was totally throw together, 'everything but the kitchen sink curry', but oh so tasty. Loads of leftovers too – which rocks.

A bunch of chicken – srsly, I think I used 6-8 breasts – large chunks
Veggies – lots of mushrooms, cauliflower, peppers, onions, carrots, spinach, and even a bit of wimpy broccoli (am I forgetting anything?)
Thai curry
light coconut milk
bunch of chopped cilantro and sliced limes, after cooking

Combine all in slower cooker. Walk away. Come back later, ladle into bowls, add cilantro and lime – enjoy.

Its pretty bad when your sister, on vacay in Spain, updates her blog more than I!  I've been cooking, just not anything noteworthy, or rather; I've been repeating recipes I adore - nothing wrong with that action. Spring is so slow in coming, that I've been resisting trying new recipes - and have reverted back to old comfort food standbys. My bad - no excuses. Hopefully the next few weeks will warm up, and I'll get inspired culinarily speaking, and at least spark up the bbq. Here's to that!

Italian Meatball Soup Rapido

Addendum:  I make this ALL THE TIME NOW!  

Rapido you say? I'm there! Recipe from Gourmet Magazine. I've tried the President's Choice 'Blue Menu' Italian Meatballs - and they rock! Plus, this is so easy, and the spinach and beans boost the vitamin factor, and its tasty galore, particularly for lunch the next day. 

Chop: 1 medium onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 celery rib, 2 carrots, some chopped peppers. Saute in 2 tbsp olive oil.

Stir in:  6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil, simmer.

Meanwhile, cook approx 30 meatballs in oven.  (should take approx 16 mins).

Add meatballs to soup along with 2 cans of beans (I used one white, and one romano) and briskly simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meatballs are heated through. Stir in bag of chopped spinach (have also substituted rapini and kale!), some parm, s & p, and simmer uncovered, until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Chopped flat leaf parsley on top is a nice addition as well.

Bueno appetito!

Pasta with White Beans and Rapini

My fondest memory of rapini, would be springtime, Saturday mornings at the Santa Barbara Market, avec Jennifer, and seeing all the old Italian men buying heaps of rapini like it was going out of style. We'd ask the men how their wives would prepare it - they'd respond, very simply, sauteed in olive oil with garlic and red chili flakes; or blanched, with pasta. Unfortunately, I never did go down the rapini road when I lived in Vancouver - as I thought their bitter greens would be inedible (silly me), but the rapini gods are smiling at Save-On Foods in Penticton, so I was inspired! And thank goddess. This was so amazing - very Jaime Oliver in Italy - rustic, comfort, peasant food at its finest. Jaime - can I join you on your next Euro adventure? (Even if it doesn't involve cooking?)

1 big bunch rapini 
375 g package whole wheat penne 
extra-virgin olive oil 
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
sea salt, large pinch hot pepper flakes 
1 large can white beans, drained and rinsed
Grated parm 

Trim base of rapini stalks; then roughly chop into 1" pieces. In large pot of boiling salted water, blanch rapini until tender, 1-2 mins. With slotted spoon, transfer to colander to drain; set aside.

In same pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid (I needed same!).  Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat some oilive oil over medium heat; fry bread crumbs and 1/4 of the garlic, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; set aside.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry remaining garlic and hot pepper flakes, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in rapini and beans; heat through, about 3 minutes. Add to pasta and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid if desired, and some parm. Serve sprinkled with bread crumb mixture, and bit more parm.

Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Scones

Makes 8 yummy scones.  

I'm a lousy baker - I really am. But these were easy to make (much to my delight), and even easier to consume!  Bring on the goodness ...

1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (I used 9 grain)
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup milk *
1/3 cup yogurt * (preferably Greek or whole-milk)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup

*Note: you can substitute 2/3 buttermilk for the milk + yogurt – which I did!

For brushing and sprinkling on top of the scones: 1 tbsp milk; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 2 tbsp oats (I substituted Red River cereal!)

Preheat oven to 400.

Whisk together flour, baking powder & soda, brown sugar, salt & cinnamon in a large bowl, then transfer that mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add the oats & pulse in short bursts (1 sec each) about 15 times. Drop in the pieces of cold butter and pulse again in short bursts until coarse meal forms, about another 15 pulses.

Transfer this mixture back into the large bowl. In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, yogurt and maple syrup. Pour the liquid into the flour/oat/butter mixture, and stir gently with a fork until it’s moistened and starts to come together. Using your hand, gather the dough into a ball right in the bowl and knead it a few times against the side of the bowl to bring the dough together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Using a sharp knife, cut like a pie into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

Whisk together 1 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp maple syrup in a little bowl. Brush the tops of the scones with this mixture, then sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp oats across the tops of the scones.

Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Cool on a rack.

Meatloaf w/ Loads of Veggies

Stop right there, I gotta know right now ... before we go any further ... Meatloaf.  Sorry, I'm dating myself with the '70s Meatloaf reference ... but this one is killer.  Great texture, non-greasy, loads of veggies added - but lots of meaty flavours.  Thanks so much J for the best meatloaf recipe, ever!

1 medium onion, or a leek (both green and white parts), or shallots
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 medium beet
4 inches celery heart
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Heinz chili sauce
Basil, oregano, handful Italian parsley,
4 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
700 g extra lean ground beef
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c fresh bread crumbs

Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and process until the texture resembles minced veggies. Saute the mixture in some olive oil for several mins (along w/ the minced garlic), then add the sauces, basil, oregano, and some s & p. Saute for another couple of mins, then remove from heat & stir in the parsley; set aside to cool. Once it's cooled a bit, combine the sauteed veggies w/ the sausages, ground beef, eggs & bread crumbs. Place the mixture in the loaf tins, spoon some more chili sauce on top, and place in a 350 oven for 1 hour or so.

This yielded 2 largish loaf tins - used leftovers for sannies; then when I was tired of them, turned the last 2/3 of a tin into a pasta sauce!

Farmhouse Butternut Squash Soup

I know what you're thinking - oh great, baby food! Ahh, but its healthy, so I've got to eat it, right? Well stop that nonsense - this was freaking amazing! Serves 2 - so next time, I'll double the recipe for lunch for next day.

From Gourmet Magazine - may I present, like, the best soup ever?

4 bacon slices (I used 3, pre-cooked!)
4 large garlic cloves, chopped 
2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped (2 small butternut squashes!)
1/2 lb carrots, chopped 
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 thyme sprigs 
2 bay leaves
3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 
2 cups water 
1 to 1 1/2 tsps cider vinegar (I chickened out, and used a 1 tbsp sherry!)

Cook bacon in a 4-6-qt heavy pot over med. heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add garlic to fat in pot & cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 min. Add squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 15-20 mins. Discard thyme stalks & bay leaves. Purée in a blender, in 2 batches, until smooth . Return to pot and add vinegar (or sherry!). Serve topped w/ crumbled bacon. Delish!

Pork Fried Rice

Leftover pork tenderloin from last weekend (which I froze), was the protein for tonight's fried rice. Just happened to have a bag of brown rice in the freezer (J's wonderful idea), so will simply thaw some frozen peas, scramble a couple of eggs, saute some mushrooms, perhaps use a bit of sliced gailan stalks, chop some green onions, and season all w/ tamari.  Love the easy Sunday night dinners! 

Salmon Cakes

What's not to love about salmon cakes? Easy, healthy, satisfying. I had some leftover smashed potatoes, and my 'secret' ingredient to coat before frying was some crushed crispy fried onions, which my brother B uses on salads!

Drain 2 cans of salmon (save the juice in a freezer bag!), add about a cup of so of smashed potatoes, some finely chopped green onion and red pepper, and parsley, and the juice of half a lemon, add an egg to bind, and some crushed bread crumbs if desired - season w/ s & p.  Make patties, and press into crushed crispy fried onions. (Instead of the fried onions, press patties into cornmeal - which also creates a really nice crust). I sprayed the pan w/ 'Pam', rather than using oil so good times. Served with roasted broccoli w/ red pepper and garlic (recipe below). Wow. Just wow.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Adapted from Anne Lindsay recipe.

I'm the first to admit I'm not a great baker, nor do I aspire to be. That said, I do like successful outings, and this recipe is easy, and super tasty. I'm lazy in the mornings, don't feel like fussing during the week, so these are perfect, along with a smoothy and a piece of fruit. 

Combine 1 cup rolled oats (I used 9 grain) and 1 cup buttermilk, let stand 10 minutes.

In separate bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tbsp. bran, 1 tsp cinnamon (plus I added some cloves and nutmeg), 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, approx ½ cup raisins (plus I added a few dried cranberries).

In separate bowl, combine ½ cup grapeseed oil, just over ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 egg.

Add all to rolled oats mixture, spoon into muffin cups (plus I topped each muffin with a pecan!), bake at 375 for about 22 minutes – makes 12 muffins. Yummy!

Not Quite Epic Fail ...

I had such high hopes for the Linguine with Brussels Sprouts Barigoule, and um, it just didn't measure up. It was highly seasoned, or so I thought, with lots of veggies (leeks, savoy cabbage), wine, fresh herbs (thyme, parsley) etc. Leftovers were okay, but nothing to write (blog) home about. So no posted recipe forthcoming.  

I will eventually post a fantastic lentil soup recipe however, as have made it twice now, to gleeful results!

Also made Spicy Garlicky Black-Pepper Shrimp and Black-Eyed Peas (which I couldn't find, so used pinto beans instead - are they the same thing?) and was also just allright. Not mind-blowing, but semi-satisfying. Having those leftovers tonight, so while sweet I don't have to cook, I anxiously await the next ta-da attempt.

Tomorrow however, I'm going to make salmon cakes. Have leftover smashed potatoes from the other night, and am going to attempt a secret ingredient coating (of my choosing!), which, if successful, will blow my mind and will post with extra smug! Oh yeah.

Sunday Night Spectacular!

Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin served with Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Red Pepper, and Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Buttermilk.

Absolutely incredible - everything was perfectly seasoned and went so well together - plus it was all cooked around the same time - which totally rocks.

Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin (Martha Stewart)

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill pan
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chilli powder (plus I added some chilli flakes)
1 pork tenderloin (mine was a little over 1 pound)
1 ½ tbsp sesame seeds
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

I marinated the pork overnight - rubbed the seeds all over just before browning.  It was so moist and delicious, words escape me.

Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle marinated pork w/ sesame seeds, & press seeds into meat. Season w/ s & p.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat, and brush with oil. Add pork, and cook until browned and grill marks appear, 2-3 mins per side.

Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork to desired doneness, 17 to 18 minutes for medium. Let stand for at least 5 minutes, then cut into ½” slices. Serve w/ pan juices.

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Red Pepper (Bon Appétit, January 2009)

This fabulous dish has elevated broccoli to a new level for me.  This was so spectac.  Carmelized, highly seasoned, great texture.  Best side dish ever!

1 ¼ lbs broccoli crowns, cut into florets (about 8 cups) 
3 ½ tbsp olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper

I cooked this on the same cookie sheet as the pork - and it worked out great.  

Toss broccoli + 3 tbsp oil in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle w/ s & p. Transfer to baking sheet. Roast 15 mins. Stir remaining ½ tbsp oil, garlic, & red pepper in small bowl. Drizzle garlic mixture over broccoli; toss to coat. Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 4 mins longer. Season w/ s & p - serve immediately.

Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Buttermilk (Canadian Living Test Kitchen)

Cook 3 cubed potatoes, and 3 cloves of garlic until cooked - about 15 mins. Mash w/ about 1/2 cup of light buttermilk and 1 tbsp. butter.  Season w/ s & p and eat to heart's content!  So yummy and creamy ... 

Last week ...

Had some nice meals, but was too lazy to post!  Highlight was some lentil soup with brown rice and a couple of hot italian snossies, some tomatoes, and holy trinity of veg was amazing - I know, it doesn't sound like much, but it was sublime - will make again for sure, and post recipe next time!  

Thai soup last night was wonderful - all about the broth.  And the gailan.  Oh my.  

Pizza - Again!

I could eat pizza every night – and now that I found these great multi-grain pizza crusts from the Ghetto store (made from whole grain wheat flour, whole and ground flax, rye meal and oat fibre called “Sicilian Style” – made in Calgary!!) – I think I’ll do just that thank you very much.   There were 3 per package, and at less than $6 for the lot, totally cost effective.

Placed 4 sliced yellow onions in the slow cooker yesterday, with a bit of olive oil – and 5 hours later – carmelized onions! So, onto the whole-grain goodness vessel, sprinkled some shredded mozza, then about about half the carmelized onions, some sliced Moroccan olives, a bunch of fresh rosemary, and a smattering of shredded parm – ta da!

South American Fish Cakes

Adapted from a Jaime Oliver recipe - good times!  And I'm so glad I cooked both the fish and the potatoes the day before ... as I was a lazy bones today. I halved the recipe, and because I didn't have quite a lb of cod, once the fish was cooked, I topped it up with a can of crab!  I would up the heat content next time, and perhaps serve it with a mango salsa; tonight it was simply served with a tossed salad w/ B's house dressing!

2 lb white fish fillets 
½ c milk
2 bay leaves 
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
a bunch of parsley, finely chopped 
a handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
zest of 2 lemons and 2 limes 
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, bashed (in my fab mortar and pestle!)
2 eggs
1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped (I only had a jalapeno, and it wasn’t hot enough for me ...) 
s & p  
1/2 cup flour
sunflower oil
lemons to serve

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the fish in a baking tray with the milk and bay leaves, then cover the tray with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for about 15 minutes, until soft. Drain them in a colander to get rid of any excess water, then return to the pan on a low heat and mash.

Flake the cooked fish into a large bowl. Add the mashed potato, parsley, mint, lemon and lime zest, fennel seeds, eggs and chilli and season with s & p. Mix well, taste and add more salt if necessary.

Make patties, dredge in flour, removing excess.  (Next time I would add some cornmeal for  extra texture and crispyness.

Pour a bit of oil into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Fry the fishcakes until browned. Serve w/ lemon slices.

Curry-Coconut Mussels Babalu

Adapted from a 'Gourmet Magazine' recipe.  I wanted something spesh tonight, and have been eye-balling this recipe for a few weeks now.  A bit of prep involved, but it was totally worth the effort.  Our fave wine dude suggested a Voignier to go with, good choice Aaron!

2 shallots, finely chopped 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
2 tbsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger 
1 tbsp grapeseed oil 
½ cup dry white wine 
½ cup fresh orange juice (I squeezed some tangelos)
plus I added some grated orange zest
¼ cup fresh lime juice 
1 tsp curry powder + some yellow Thai curry paste 
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme 
1/2 tsp lightly crumbled saffron threads 
1 (14-oz) can light coconut milk 
7 grape tomatoes, chopped 
1 tsp Tabasco, plus some red chilli flakes
A bunch of chopped fresh cilantro 
1 lb kiwi mussels (plus about 1 cup of scallops, because I had some)

Cook shallots, garlic, and ginger in oil in a large heavy pot over mod-low heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened. Stir in wine, juices, curry powder & paste, thyme, saffron, coconut milk, tomato, and hot stuff, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly, about 10 mins. 

Add cilantro and mussels and cook, covered, over highish heat until mussels are warmed through, and scallops are cooked. Serve immediately, w/ lime wedges if desired.

Mac & Cheese, My Way

I love mac & cheese, but in the past, always felt guilty about the high calorie content. I've been making this one for ages - reduced calories = relatively guilt-free, tasty, satisfying result! (And its still winter and I'm craving comfort food damnit).

Make a roux (1 tbsp of melted butter, 1 tbsp of whole wheat flour).  Cook for a bit, on medium heat.  Increase heat to med-high, add a whole can of skim condensed milk - whisk until combined.  Add 1/2 a can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup, continue whisking.  Add about 2 1/2-3 cups shredded cheeses (1/3 of which should be extra old/sharp cheddar), in batches, and, you guessed it, whisk again until creamy. Season w/ s & p to taste.  Tonight I added a couple cans of drained white tuna for protein, but at this point, you can add blanched asparagus, broccoli, or whatever - tonight, no veggies. Cook pasta (I always use whole grain or vegetable based organic pasta - this should cover about a lb of pasta).  Toss drained pasta with sauce, and dig in. Its really, really good. No, I'm serious.

Winter Returns - What the what?

Just when I thought spring had sprung, we get hit with a blizzard late in the day - brrrr, and damn you!  Totally forgot I was going to make mac & cheese tonight, so that will be tomorrow's dinner, tonight is a variation of the pizza I made recently, except no homemade crust, using massive slices of deli rye as vessel, and sauteed chorizo (my new BFF), sliced leeks, and red peppers - sauce will be salsa, as before, add some sliced grape tomatoes, plus a mixture of cheeses, and after cooking, a generous amount of sliced scallions.  Tick, done.  Stupid winter. 

Oscar Night - Chinese Chicken Salad with Red Chile Peanut Dressing

Adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe - must serve w/ shampers (may I suggest See Ya Later?).  Wonderful salad, fresh, tasty, and delish dressing.  Will absolutely make this again for summer action in the 'treehouse'!

I made the dressing, and cooked a bunch of chicken breasts the day before, which was a great timesaver.

Dressing:

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup grapeseed
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad:

1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 head romaine lettuce, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
½ bag snow peas
A bunch of coarsely chopped cilantro 
A bunch of thinly sliced green onion
A bunch of shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
A bunch of chopped fresh mint leaves

I always use a large bag to toss salads - its just so easy.  So toss as you wish w/ the dressing, then compose the salad whichever way you like.

Leftovers for lunch tomorrow - yum!

Easy Seafood Chowder

Thaw saved fish stock from ziplock in freezer (see tips!), along with whatever seafood you have on hand - I had some prawns and scallops (soak them in bowl of really cold water for about 20 mins, then drain).

Saute chopped celery, onion, leek, red pepper and carrot for approx 10 mins. Add diced potato, and approx 5 cups of fish/chicken stock.  Simmer approx 15 mins.  Add a bunch of chopped parsley and the prawns, cook a few mins, add the scallops - they will take very little time to cook.  Gently stir in 2 cans of drained sockeye salmon, skinned and broken in large pieces. Dinner's ready!

Tips & Tricks

#1:  I learned this one from my brother (even when plowed with alcohol, I pay attention!) - Keep herbs in a ziplock bag, wrapped in damp paper towels - they will last for weeks! Whenever I buy parsely and cilantro, I hack off the stems, give them a quick wash and dry, then wrap as above for speedy access.

 #2:  Whenever you drain canned fish - salmon, tuna, clams, etc. - keep the liquid in a ziplock bag in the freezer - you've got the makings of a great stock for soup, steaming mussels (for Michelle), and whatever else strikes your fancy.

Fridge-Foraged Pizza

This one's for you J!  Was feeling v. guilty about not posting for almost a week - but tonight's meal was such a delightful surprise, and so very post-worthy.  Was craving a yummy pizza (Summerland is bereft of same), so dug up a few ingredients I thought might suffice.  I lost my recipe for J's wholewheat pizza dough (d'oh), so found one online and gave it a go.  The bran was a welcome addition, because hello, healthy pizza!  While the dough didn't exactly double in size after rising, it had expanded enough for me to call it 'Jennifer Love-Hewitt'.  

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

½ cup skim milk, warmed (I used soy milk)
½ cup warm water 
1 tbsp active dry yeast 
1 ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup natural bran

Place water into large bowl, sprinkle yeast over top & let stand for about 10 mins or until frothy.  (Mine didn't froth, so I started again, to non-frothy results!).  Add warm milk.

Meanwhile in separate bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of the flour and bran, plus I added a pinch of sugar and salt.

Add yeast mixture to dry ingredients, combine.  Scrape dough onto lightly floured surface and knead dough, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Place in a greased bowl and cover. Let stand for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk (the 'Jennifer effect').

While dough is rising, finely chop 2 chorizo sausages, and saute in pan. Half way through the cooking, add about a half a finely chopped red pepper. Drain on paper towel once cooked.  

Punch down dough and roll into cookie sheet size.  Spray pan with Pam, then sprinkle some cornmeal on top. 

Top dough with a slathering of salsa, and some shredded mozza/2 year old aged cheddar combo, and some chopped vine-ripened tomatoes.

Bake in 425°F (220°C) oven on centre rack, for about 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle with a bunch of chopped green onion and chopped cilantro and serve.  With extra smug. 

Poor Woman’s Pesto

We can’t all live in Calgary/Edmonton where you can buy a big bag of basil for $2! Not even in the summer can I find such deals (though I grow my own – to ‘meh’ results). I can brag however, about my bounty of pine nuts from last summer, purchased in Vancouver for cheap. Anyhow, I digress. I had some leftover arugula from our fish fest the other night, so arugula pesto here we come!

In a food processor, layer the following:

4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 large handfuls of arugula
Plus I added a bit of parsley, because it makes everything green

Pulse. Add enough olive oil to desired consistency. Add s & p to taste.

Cook pasta (I used wholewheat spaghetti, 375 g) – reserve about ¼ cup cooking liquid to add later. 

Grate a bunch of reggiano parmesan.  

Drain pasta and return to pot, add pesto (adding reserved liquid if necessary - I needed some), stir like a demon, serve heaping servings, and enjoy!

Grilled Tuna with Warm White Bean Salad

This is reminiscent of one of my fave summer salads - Tuscan Tuna and Bean Salad. Ahh, summer - I remember it well. But anyhow, back to the winter blues ... this was spectac. Really gorgeous dish.  And keeping with my 'must try one fish dish per week' mantra, this fit the bill perfectly. Making the beans the day before was a huge timesaver. 

1 1/4 cups dried Great Northern beans
4 cups salted water
2 garlic cloves, quartered
Some rosemary, if desired
2 cups arugula, washed & spun
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ lb tuna steaks
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
freshly ground black pepper
Accompaniment: lemon wedges

One day ahead: in a large saucepan simmer beans in salted water with quartered garlic cloves until tender, about 1.5 hrs. Add some rosemary at the end of the cooking time. Cool mixture overnight in fridge.  

Next day: Discard rosemary. Drain beans, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. In a small bowl mash ½ cup beans with a fork & return mashed and whole beans to pan with reserved liquid. Chop 1 cup arugula and stir into beans with shallots, parsley, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and s & p to taste. Heat to warm. 

Rinse and pat dry tuna. In a plastic bag combine tuna steaks with remaining tablespoon lemon juice, crushed fennel seeds, s & p to taste - shake!  

Grill fish in a heated, lightly oiled, well-seasoned ridged grill pan 3 mins per side. (It made a gorgeous crust!)

Arrange bean salad and remaining cup arugula on plates and top with fish. Squeeze lemon over the fish. Plus I served some sliced Clementine oranges with.

Coconut Cranberry Granola Bars

I’ve made these twice now, the 2nd time they were a little over-done, but still. Another of my fast & easy breakfasts – and grab & go on weekends. 

Combine: 

2 cups rolled oats 
¼ c brown sugar 
½ c bran 
1 c coconut 
1 c whole wheat flour 
¾ c dried cranberries 
¾ tsp salt 

Add: 

½ c honey 
1 egg, beaten 
½ c grapeseed oil 
2 tsp vanilla extract 

Oven 350. Line 9 x 13 pan w/ parchment or grease. Mix above well using hands. Pat into pan. Cook 30-35 mins until golden. Cool for 5 mins – then cut while still warm. Do not allow to cool too long, or they will be too hard to cut!

Tuna Melts

Awoke early, worked out (my version - 25 mins - so lame), but then made the pea soup, vacuumed and washed the floors - all before noon.  Okay, not gold medal calibre, but for me, a pretty productive day.

As the snow is melting, my mind turned to my old fave - tuna melts.  My love affair with tuna salad has never waned, that and egg salad, are my all-time faves!  

Utilizing the last two multigrain pitas I had as vessels, combine: 1 can tuna, finely chop 1 each of shallot and celery stalk, add a small spoonful of horseradish, and enough ½ fat mayo to desired consistency, add s & p to taste.  Slather onto pitas, bake about 10 mins on 325 or so. Add sliced extra old cheddar to top, bake another 5 mins. Move to broiler – cook until melty!

Pea Soup

Another lazyish day, laundry to do, might start a new book - but I always have time to make soup.  Fueling my current obsession with chorizo, I finely chopped and sauteed one with a whole chopped onion, 2 chopped celery stocks, 2 chopped carrots. Added about 10 cups chicken stock, and 3 cups split peas, along with s & p.  I usually do this in the slow cooker, so I'm unsure how long it will take to cook - about an hour?

1 hour later:  OMG.  Best ever.  Am proud of self.

Bombay-Style Fish

This was another dish I made in January, from "Hot Food".  Gotta make more fish dishes.  Problem is I find most a little bland.  This rocked.  

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
½ tsp each turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, cayenne
1 tbsp tamarind puree (I actually found some in Penticton!)
1/3 cup oil
1 lb cod fillets
1 ¼ cups light coconut milk
Loads of chopped cilantro

Combine all except coconut milk and cilantro – marinate 1 hour.  

Heat a bit more oil in a large frying pan, and add fish in batches. Cook for 1 min each side. Return all fish to pan, reduce heat to low, add remaining marinade and coconut milk, along with s & p. Cook gently 3-5 mins, or until fish cooked through. Serve w/ Lindberg rice (naturally!), and loads of cilantro. Plus I served lime wedges with.

Beef Pot-Roast with Guinness

I made this in early January, when the weather was super crappy.  OMG it was amazing.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lb top round beef roast
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 celery sticks, thickly sliced
4 pototoes, large chunks
3 carrots, thickly sliced
2 tbsp flour
2 cups beef stock
1 bottle Guinness
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp grainy mustard
1 tbsp tomato paste
s & p to taste

Sear meat on all sides. Remove and place in slow cooker. Add to pot - celery, potato and carrots to pan, cook 2-3 mins. Add onion, and remaining ingreds except flour, cook another min. Add this to slow cooker. Add to pot - flour, stock and Guinness – bring to boil. Pour over all into slow cooker. Cook for 3 hours on medium.  

Too Lazy to Cook Burger Night

Yesterday, I had some multigrain pitas that needed tending to, and all the ingredients for tsatsiki (sans the cucumber!), so it was greek burger and salad night. Picked up some lean & juicy burgers from the Ghetto Store (the President's Choice outlet in Penticton), and made a lousy side salad. The burgers were done on the faux George Forman grill, the tsatsiki was sublime, the pitas were brushed with a bit of olive oil and lightly toasted in the oven. Thankfully I found B's go-to dressing on his site, for later use, as mine was I don't know how old in the back of the fridge, the leaf lettuce was bland and the cherry tomatoes were awful. But the burger rocked!!

Fruit Crisp, My Way

We're so forch here in the Okanagan with the bounty of seasonal fruit, I'm hard pressed to think of a favourite.  This recipe was adapted from Anne Lindsay's Smart Cooking, and works well with virtually any fruit combination.  Ahnnd, its breakfast this morning!

Toss into a plastic bag - then shake!:

6 cups cored and chopped apples (I leave the skins on)
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp cinnamon, dash of cloves, some pumpkin pie spice too!
Citrus juice, if desired

Finely chop about a 2” nub of ginger, set aside.

Into food processor combine the following:

1 cup rolled oats (I use a 7 grain yummy one)
More cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter, chopped

Spray a 9 x 14 pan. Pour apple mixture into pan. Top with chopped ginger (the ginger totally makes it!). I then add about 1 cup of frozen cranberries. Top all with the crumb mixture.

Bake in 350° oven for about 45 mins.

Mushroom Leek Pasta Carbonara

Another Bitchin' Camero spesh - slightly altered.  

I've always found classic carbonara a little too heavy for my liking, so I nixed the fettucine in lieu of spaghetti (and used less), and used 2 eggs instead of 3.  This lighter version is perfect.  Great flavours, easy to make and brilliant served with chilled sauv blanc.

340 g whole wheat spaghetti
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 leeks, cleaned & thinly sliced (white parts only – I used the green bits for soup)
2 cups each of shitake and brown mushrooms, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 eggs, beaten  
Freshly ground black pepper & parmesan to taste

Set a pot of water to boil. In the meantime, melt butter in a med-high skillet & add leeks, mushrooms & garlic. Toss for about 1 min, then add white wine. Continue to saute mushrooms have released their liquid and leeks have wilted and begun to brown a bit — about 5-6 mins. 

Once pot of water comes to a boil, salt & and add the pasta. When the pasta is almost al dente, reserve 3/4c of the starchy pasta water & drain remaining liquid. Reduce heat to low, dump pasta back into its cooking pot (on the heat source) and cover with the leek/mushroom mixture. Quickly pour the beaten eggs over everything & then the pasta water. Toss quickly til everything is evenly coated w/ egg and cook for 1 more min. 

Serve the pasta in a bowl and top with a generous portion of cheese and fresh black pepper. 

Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli & Brown Rice Casserole

Another Bitchin’ Camero spesh – slightly altered. I love me my casseroles! 

5 cups cooked brown rice
Some cottage cheese to bind
2 large heads broccoli, coarsely chopped
4 hot Italian sausages, cooked my way
1 jalapeno  
1 1/2 cups skim milk (I used skim)
4 eggs
2 cups shredded extra old cheddar 
1 cup breadcrumbs 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. In your biggest casserole dish toss the brown rice with the cottage cheese. Press into the casserole dish. Add the chopped broccoli evenly over top, repet with cooked sausage and chopped jalapeno. 

Whisk the milk, eggs and garlic salt together in a separate bowl. Stir in the cheddar cheese and pour over the casserole dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in an even layer over the top.

Bake for 35 mins, or until the middle is set & the top and sides are golden brown.